Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

"Body Bags Ready": Print Media Coverage Of Avian Influenza In Australia, Sandra C. Jones, Louise Waters, Fiona Byrne, Don Iverson, Max Sutherland, Julian Gold, Chris Puplick

Sandra Jones

In 2006 the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus received considerable media coverage in Australia, as it did in many other countries. It is often argued that the media sensationalizes health crises, and experts cautioned about the risk of panic as a result of fear of avian influenza. The purpose of the present study was to systematically analyze Australian print media coverage of avian influenza in 2006 and to examine whether this coverage served the purpose of informing, rather than alarming, the general public. For the period January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2006, 20 Australian newspaper titles were monitored for …